No previous golf experience...want to learn

[ckboddic]

I played golf for the first time in my life today after being around for more than 20 years. I enjoyed it and would like to improve. What should I do? Take lessons? Read books? A combination of both? I looked into it and my town only has one teacher...an old retiree...don't know much else about him. It seems to me that taking lessons would be a good route.

[Warik]

Absolutely take lessons. The fact that you don't have much experience playing makes this the perfect time to see an instructor before you develop bad habits on your own that will be difficult to break later.

Find out if this old retiree is/was a PGA pro. If he isn't/wasn't, you might be better off finding an instructor outside your immediate area (I drive an hour to get to mine).

Focus on making solid contact and consistently making the ball go straight. Worry about distance later. Long drives are useless if you don't have the iron play to follow them up.

Another thing that has really helped my game has been practicing chipping & putting much more often than I've been practicing my long game. For every bucket of balls I hit on the range I chip/putt a good 150-200 balls. The acceptable margin of error for your shots gets a lot smaller the closer you get to the hole and you need to be ready for it.

[Acein8ter]

Take a lesson at a golf course or range. Browse the bookstore and pick up a few books.... They generally cover the same thing.

[jupiterpig]

if you are a natural athlete then teach yourself...if not then you might have to take lessons

[Irish Mafia]

It doesn't matter if you are a "natural athlete". Take lessons. Tiger Woods has a swing coach - and anyone who wants to improve should take lessons.

[jupiterpig]

but there is nothing like getting good on your own...ive never taken lessons and played for 4 years and shoot in the mid 80's...having said that, i could get lessons and waste money but Im never going pro nor competitive so just me learning on my own is a challenge that I enjoy as do most athletes...

[Butcho22]

If you're having fun, and see yourself improving a bit here and there, don't worry about getting a lesson right away.
If you're topping every other shot and skulling every chip, go get a lesson.

Mods,

We should really get a sticky going for people just starting out playing the game. Seems like a new thread pops up like this every few days so I think it's needed.
Everyone could put all of their best tips and swing thoughts in that one thread so anybody who is just starting can refer to the sticky.

Thoughts?

[jupiterpig]

agreed on both counts

[Kermit]

i think a sticky with golf tips would be awesome.

[thisnamedoesntfi]

[ QUOTE ]
i think a sticky with golf tips would be awesome.

[/ QUOTE ]
Good idea.

As you're just starting out, I wont get into specifics.

What I tell all my students who are genuine beginners is to let go of the ball mentally and to concentrate on generating energy and balance in their swing. The reason for this is that everyone can hit the ball every single time, it's actually hard to miss it once you've played say ten rounds of golf. The majority of bad habits become ingrained due to an overemphasis on hitting the ball.

I would be happy to give you some tips, it would be helpful to know what other sports you have played as well as your general age and fitness level.